Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-05-19

| mmslti A4esn 9eoVu lnh toeL OF experience an(
Puono scrutiny for near 90 years; and /
Was so well done that all attempts 10 undo
y or to shake the confidence OF the publi,
IN u have hitherto failed. Although IN,
aBtators for the convention of 1890 had
w such Ingenious and Industrious neonl,
Always Will have, when they start out upor
crusade against the established orier NJ
things-mhny objections against such order
yet there were very few OF the lattet tha
leceived any considerable attention at the
hanus oi the convention, whose members
nhu no idea OF giving eountenance TO the
extrayagant theories then put forth in puh.
NC speeches, or in newspaper communi.
cations. Radicalism was then. NJ
now, aggressive, IN fact IL ia ol
its nature that 1t should be; but II had
not as now corps OF professors, a bnnd al
platform orators, and all the adjunets and
auXillafles OF an alleged great struggle fol
pnman l6erty--w which was notthen thought
W anybody TO be seriously endangered, un.
Less 1nere should DO an erasure Of the pages
OF the Old books OF governmental science
ana submission Of new writings in their
staau, VI course no one of much intelli.
gence then paid attention, as 1t is trusted
none DO now, to anything that was not d
serious public grievance. There were two
chief ones. They had long been felt, but
no one suggested thst the constitution oi
l7B2 ought to be supplanted In whole or IN
part, because the question of Its ratification
mad not been submitted to popular vote
or 70 put 1t differently, to argue for con.
Vention on that account. The
new constitution was satd at the time to ba
Ulhytons, that ~ the new features Of Ii.
but until a few restless men, who are
never content with the existing slate
OF Affairs how satisfied and happy
with Il everybody else Is, but are ever try
Ing, like the politician with the knife
gr1nderin the admirable satlre Of Cannlng's
to rouse TO vengeance the public against
wrongs which they are ignorant Of, because
unfelt, found 1t necessary, a few decades
back, as such mon always do, to invent
something to help them In their cry for
reform. He was never charged with
having said what now. R-days Ia raked up
out OF the rubbish Of the past, and In one
form or another repeated, doubtless inno-
Gently, by orators OF the present time, that
he had locked the door OF the constitution
and thrown the key away No man, not
an idiot, would ever make q speech like
that; and no candid man OF good sense re-
peats such charge, except doubtlngly. 1t
serves the purpose, however, with uneandid
men or those misinfOrmed as an Indictment
against the constitution, and will be used
hereafter by the former. Besides.
the constitution was the act Of every mem
ber OF the body, for they all signed It."
The speaker referred at length to clayton
as an agriculturlst and his interest In public
improvements and the development Of the
resources OF his native State. Going back
to his public life after dwelling with some
emphasis on the judicial system Of the
State, the speaker said he resigned his seat
10 the Senate In 1885, and was succeeded by
Thomas Clayton, chief Justice, and Clayton
was appointed the latter's successor, He,
however, resigned In 1889, and in 1916 was
again elected to the United States Senate.
Under President Taylor he was chosen for
the office OF Secretary Of State, the two hay-
Ing never met or had any correspondence
until the request to accept the office was
made by the former, when the meeting was
by appointment.
It was the felleltous good fortune Of John
M Oiaytcn, said Secretary Seward not more
than his genius and ability that enables
him to link his own fame with that great
aud stupendous transaction, the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty, and so to win for himself
the eternal gratitude OF future generations
not only Of hts own country but throughout
the great divisions Of the earth. have
said that this treaty Central America
from British control. It certainly did. That
nation had for long time, for one pretence
or other been In virtual possession Of all
that part Of the Republic of Honduras,
known by the name OF the Mosquito coast.
The British had taken possession of the old
Spanish town of San Juan de Nicaragua,
which they pretended was within Mosqui-
tan territory over which latter British pro-
tectorate existed by an asserted claim OF
England. No effort had before been
made by any administration Of our
government to dislodge the British
although great cry had been made
from time to time about the Monroe doe
trtne. II was reserved for tho Taylor
administration to make the first deiln-
lite movement 10 the mstter. That
opportunity was afforded on the occasion
oil tho contemplated interoeeanic canal.
The canal WIS thought TO he necessary.
But the project did not take feasible shape
until the acquisition by the United States of
California and the territory extending to
tha Straits of Fuca. While the canal was
not to be ours, yet we were to be the spon.
sOre. The idea OF having canal ot our
own was rejected for tho obvious reason
that Congress had no right 10 build canals
on foreign territory, assuming that they
might employ the public money for that
purpose within our own land and the addi-
tional consideration, that, In time OF war
with great maritime nation 1t would be
liable 10 be so bloekRded or passage for us
impeded as TO DO practically useless when
we might most need IL. Therefore 1t was
that the idea occurred to Clayton of draw
ing England, our then only mercantile
rival with navy far surprising
ours or any other power, In numbers and
strength, Into joint protectorate OF the
canal, or rather Into an engagement which
would secure neutrality to the work. Nego-
tlations were set on foot between the two
governments for convention. Sir. Henry
Lytton Bulwer, afterwards Earl Bulwer,
was appointed commissioner on the part OF
England. Our negotlator was the Secretary
of State, John NJ. Clayton. What the latter
strove to attain was, first, the favor of
Victoria's government when the canal was
built, and second, such a guaranty or en-
gagement, with respect thereto, as could
NOT be performed without the withdrawal
OF England from Central America altogether
This was Il nice and delicate matter-not on
account of the proposed engagement to keep
hands off the canal itself, which there could
be no objection to making, but OF the
necessary abandonment OF all England's
possessions and rights in Central America.
The task was accomplished success
fully to the everlasting honor OF Clayton
and the Taylor administration. The
treaty was signed at Washington, April
18th, 1850. Ratification was made the fol
lowing July 4th BY the treaty not only did
the powers agree to protect the canal from
interruption, seizure, &C., but that neither
IllbUl WOulu bfbE tAolbA1t IOhbAbl ONoA
the canal nor erect nor maintain foftitica-
tiona, nor colonize nor assume dominion
over any of the countries OF Central
America. Other conditions of the treaty
also prevented the two countries from max
ing any compact by which the rights OF the
then Inhabitants or their Independence
would be infracted. AT the time OF this
treaty England claimed the protectorate OF
the Mosquito coast.
The situation at the time wns that Con
gress and the press were continually talking
war in regard to British territorial acqutsl
tlons In Central America, as being hostile
to the Monroe doctrine. Clayton was the
first to suggest an arrangement between the
two governments. For some time the
British took no steps to comply with the
terms of the treaty. A debate In the Senate
In 1853 brought the public mind to q CON
sideraton CT the justness OF the position
Clayton had taken. AT this time Mr.. clayton
had retired from public life and was living
quietly at his seat at Buena Vista In this
county. Public opinion was still sensitive
upon the question of British anneXationS
and It was felt that explanations were
needed why certain facts still existed whlch
It was supposed had been removed when
the treaty was signed. Fortunately lot
Clayton, who was anxious to clear the pub
lie mind In regard to the matter, a vacancy
in the senatorial representation from this
State was about TO occur on the ensuing 30
of March, He was elected to fill the posi-
tion, although the Senate Of the State was
Democratic. The consideration accorded
MT. Clayton by the Democrats of Delaware
on this occasion was never forgotten by IT'S
grateful recipient. On the 9th OF March ne
was on the floor of the Senate at Washing
ton to defend the Treaty. oass, Douglas
and Mason had attacked the measure. AZ
the close OF the discussion 1t was universally
conceded that Clayton was right and his
assailants utterly wrong.
During the administration of President
Pierce Congress passed a law to promote
more efficient service In the navy, the pur-
nose OF which was to discharge thereirom
sneh officers as for any cause were unfit for